Mechanism for concrete construction



A. POLLOCK ET AL 1,723,631

MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 5. 192'? I (j Wig r 1 ,-1 w i- 24 I5 I 1 I 5} 0 I f fgT- I :5; I 1:? I INVENTCIR.

IT D RNEYS Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. POLLOCK AND JOHN W. CAWTHON, 0F PEKIN, ILLINOIS.

MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed August 5, 1927.

This invention relates to mechanism for use in the formation of concrete walls.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient mechanism for use in construction of concrete walls.

Another object is to provide mechanism for use in connection with the conventional forms utilized in concrete construction, said mechanism cooperatiitig with the reinforcing means not only initially to hold the form in position, but following the pouring of the concrete, to permit the removal of said mechanism with a minimum of manual effort.

Still another object is to provide form clamp mechanism for use in concrete construction, which permits the holding of the concrete forms in rigid position as well as the recovery thereafter of a portion of the clamp mechanism, which in usual construction is left embedded in the concrete.

A further object is to provide a form clamp mechanism for use in concrete construction, which obviates the necessity of utilizing the usual wooden Spreaders during the concretepouring operation, said clamp mechanisi'n also being so simple in design as to be quickly applied as well as quickly released and aportion thereof recovered following the setting of the concrete.

A still further object is to provide form' clamp mechanism for concrete construction work, including a recoverable cone connecting the reinforcingand tie rods aswell as a spool member which is disposed between the end of the cone and the whaling.

Other objects Will appear in the following specification, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing the manner of applying our form clamp and recoverable cone, and spool mechanism to concrete forms; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in section showing the manner in which the reinforcing bar is disposed in the concrete when the'fori'ns have been removed;

Fig. 3 is an. enlarged detail of the spool Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the recoverable cone;

Fig. 5 shows the reinforcing tie rod; Fig. 6 is a detail. of the washer disposed upon the end of the tie rods;

Fig. 7 shows a detail of the wooden washer; and

Fig. 8 is a detail of the attachment nut.

Serial No. 210,881.

Before referring to the drawings, it is thought well to explain at least generally the manner in which concrete walls have been formed heretofore.

The usual practice is to build up wooden forms which comprise the usual wood sheeting, studding supporting same, the insertion of tie rods through the sheetin and finally the supporting of said tie rods by means of whaling, there being applied adjust-able nuts and. washer mechanism to the projecting ends of the tie rods, it being necessary, however, to ispose removable wooden spreaders between the two sides of the forms to prevent them from collapsing inwardly. There has, in some instances, been used a connection between the reinforcing rods which remain in the concrete, and the auxiliary tie rods, which have washer and nut mechanism attached to their outer ends upon the outer side of the whaling.

This connection comprises either a cylindrical or cone shaped member, which usually remains :in the concrete following the removal of the forms, after the setting of the concrete. As a matter of fact, in at least one instance, this connecting member was screw threaded both upon its inside and outside and coneshaped in such manner as to permit removal thereof following the tearing down of the wooden Spreaders. However, in this instance, the. manner of attaching the cone to the reinforcing and auxiliary tie rods necessitated the fashioning of the sheeting in such manner as to prevent practical. use of same.

Applicants herein have for many years been in charge of the concrete construction of one of the largest utility companies in the country. They have utilized substantially, ifnot all, of the practical form clamps used in concrete construction. They have noted the unsightly appearance of the walls at the points where the auxiliary tie rods are connected to the reinforcing rods when the wooden forms have been removed, as well as the clamping mechanism.

They have realized the waste of material, due to the fact that the connecting nut between the reinforcing rods and the auxiliary tie rods are, under ordinary circumstances, left in the cement. They have also realized th at in the use of the usual wooden spreader between the wooden forms, there was not only danger to the men who removed these forms during the concrete-pouring operation, but

also that when occasionally said forms fell into the concrete, as it was being poured, same could not be removed and therefore the construction was not the strongest or best.

Taking into consideration the impracticability of construction and the wastage in the usual method of forming concrete walls applicants finally, after considerable experimentation and development, devised the following simple and eflicient manner of forming concrete walls.

' Applicants have not devised form clamp mechanism of an entirely diflerent construction, but have varied the usual mechanism and added to in places to create the most efiicient form clamp mechanism.

In the first place, in constructing a concrete wall, wood sheeting 10 is nailed to the inside of vertically disposed studding 11. As a matter of fact, the studding which in the present instance has been disclosed as extending in a vertical direction may be just as well positioned horizontally and the sheeting in an upright position.

With the studding and sheeting set up in themanner shown in Fig. 1, holes are then bored, as at 12, in'the sheeting at points between the studding, of such diameter as to be just large enough for the insertion therethrough of a recoverable cone 13. A reinforcing rod 14 is disposed between the sheeting, with the threaded portions 15 thereof being received in the threaded portion 16 of the inner end of the cone 13. Now, there is threaded into the outer end of the cone 13 the auxiliary tie rods 17, it being noted that the outer end of the cone is squared, as at 18, or in any event, formed to receive the ordinary wrench. I 7

It will also be noted that the tapered portion of the cone lies within the sheeting,

while the nut portion 18 projects through the opening in the sheeting. The auxiliary tie rods 17 are threaded into the nut portion of the recoverable cone, passing beyond the studding through the whaling 19., thereafter throu h the wooden washer 20 and being 7 held xedly by means of the metal washer 21 and adjustably threaded nut 22. Between the whaling19 and the sheeting 10 and surrounding the auxiliary tie rods 17 are spool members 23, the inner ends 24 of which abut the projecting end of the recoverable cone,

as well as covering up the opening between said cone and the sheeting, caused by the borin of the hole originally in the sheeting. ihbviously, the positioning of this spool between the whaling and the sheeting prevents any inner movement of the wooden forms or walls as well as the projection of cement through the openings in the sheeting at the points where the nuts project through i the o enings therein.

Alt ou h there has been described merely one side 0 the form construction for the concrete, it is apparent that the opposite side is exactly the same as far as construction and other mechanism is concerned.

lVhen the wooden forms have been built up in the manner described, and the reinforcing rods and tie rod mechanism adjusted to the exact width and height of wall, the concrete 24 is then poured between the wooden forms. Due to the above described clamping mechanism, it is apparent that it is not necessary to dispose wooden spreaders between the walls, inasmuch as it is impossible for same to move inwardly, therefore the necessity of having men remove these spreaders during the pouring of the concrete is obviated. It is apparent, however, that the concrete is poured around the reinforcing "rods 14, and that same remain in the concrete,

this cone and to loosen same with :1 single turn, whereupon the cone is released from the cement and may be readily unscrewed from the reinforcing rod 14. This leaves a tapered opening 25 upon the exterior surface of the concrete wall, with the outer end of the reinforcing rod showing in such opening, but not lying flush with the outer wall, therefore it is easy for the operator to force concrete into the tapered opening in a manner to seal the reinforcing rods in the concrete, and therefore to make the exterior surface smooth and uniform, and thus presenting a wall that is not defaced by the projecting ends of the reinforcing rods nor by the ends of the usual connecting member that is secured to the end of the reinforcing rod and remains permanently in the cement.

It may be seen from the above that not only is the present manner of constructing concrete wa ls very simple, due to the use of the tapered cone and spool form clamp mechanism, but that such construction may be accomplished in a remarkably short time, as respects the setting up of the form, and also in even quicker time for the removal of the form clamps.

Further, due to the fact that the cones can be recovered and used again in exactly the same manner, there is a saving of about eight cents apiece, not taking into consideration the fact that the appearance of the concrete wall is materially bettered by the fact that the operator may place a small amount of cement in the tapered opening and seal the reinforcing rod in the cement.

There is an added advantage in this also, in view of the fact that a reinforcing rod not sealed is very likely to rust, and as a matter of fact, water may be carried on the rod interiorly of the concrete construction.

The spool member which is disposed between the whaling and the outer end of the recoverable cone and sheeting may be enlarged or decreased, of course, to take care of any size of recoverable cone, and to completely cover any openings surrounding said cone. In like manner, the recoverable cone may be enlarged or decreased for any size of concrete wall.

It might be said also that the present applicants have utilized the present form clamping mechanism in considerable numbers with a saving of about eight cents each, due to the fact that the cones are recoverable and with perhaps a greater saving, due to the fact that said mechanism is eminently more efficient and requires a minimum of manual labor.

What We claim is: p

1. In the manufacture of concrete walls, in combination with form walls composed of Wooden sheeting, studding supporting same and whaling disposed exteriorly of the studding, reinforcing rods disposed between the form Walls, recoverable cones threaded upon the projecting ends of the reinforcing rods, said cones being tapered throughout the portion thereof that lies within the form Walls, the outer ends of said recoverable cones projecting through openings in the wooden sheeting, auxiliary tie rods threaded into the recoverable cones and being secured in an adjustable manner upon the outside of the whaling and spool members surrounding the auxiliary tie rods, said spools abutting upon their inner faces the projecting ends of therccoverable cones, and wood sheeting surrounding the same and upon their outer ends the whaling.

2. In the manufacture of concrete walls, in combination with form walls comprising wooden sheeting, sti'idding supporting same, and whaling disposed exterior-1y of the studding, reinforcing rods disposed between the form walls, mechanism for supporting the reinforcing rods during the concrete pouring operation as well as maintaining the forms in a fixed position and preventing inward movement thereof, including auxiliary tie rods, recoverable cones connecting the reinforcing rods and auxiliary tie rods, said cones being tapered througl'iout the portion thereof that lies within the form walls and having their outer ends projecting through apertures in the sheetin means for adjusting the auxiliary tie rods to determine the position of the forms, and spools disposed between the whaling and the sheeting and surrounding the auxiliary tie rods.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto afiixed our signatures.

JOHN A. POLLOCK. JOHN W. lAlVTHON. 

